Game of Chance with Balls Dropped on a Board

ABSTRACT

A game of chance wherein players predict the locations at which dropped balls will land on a board has a game apparatus that provides a plurality of spherical balls, a shaking means, and a board. The board is circular, having a plurality of indentations or grooves in which the balls will become trapped. The board may have a lip around the edge to prevent balls from rolling off the board. The board face is marked with a plurality of concentric circles which define regions. Players predict, prior to dropping the balls, how many balls will land in each region. Scoring may proceed in any of a number of ways; for example, where players compete against each other, the player with the most accurate prediction may be said to win or each player may be awarded points for each correctly predicted landing location. Where the game is played as a gambling game with a house or bank opposing each player separately, varying payouts may be awarded to each player based on the accuracy of their predictions.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/896,154, filed Oct. 28, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to toys and games and in particular to a game of chance based on balls dropped on a board. Board game players are often times also fans of games of chance, and these individuals are also often looking for new games to master. A game of chance, wherein players predict the locations at which dropped balls will land on a board would fulfill this demand. In particular a game apparatus which includes a plurality of spherical lightweight balls of a given radius, a device for holding, shaking, and dropping the balls, and a board would be of particular interest to these individuals. The board is circular, having a plurality of indentations or grooves in which the balls will become trapped. The board may have a lip around the edge to prevent balls from rolling off the board. The board face is marked with a plurality of concentric circles which define regions. Players predict, prior to dropping the balls, how many balls will land in each region. Scoring may proceed in any of a number of ways; for example, where players compete against each other, the player with the most accurate prediction may be said to win or each player may be awarded points for each correctly predicted landing location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a game of chance wherein players predict the locations at which dropped balls will land on a board. The game apparatus provides a plurality of spherical lightweight balls of a given radius, a shaking means, and a board. The board is circular, having a plurality of indentations or grooves in which the balls will become trapped. The board may have a lip around the edge to prevent balls from rolling off the board. The board face is marked with a plurality of concentric circles which define regions. Players predict, prior to dropping the balls, how many balls will land in each region. Scoring may proceed in any of a number of ways; for example, where players compete against each other, the player with the most accurate prediction may be said to win or each player may be awarded points for each correctly predicted landing location. Where the game is played as a gambling game with a house or bank opposing each player separately, varying payouts may be awarded to each player based on the accuracy of their predictions.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate two embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the randomizer component of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the randomizer board 10, the axis 10A, the grooves 11, and the base 12.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the randomizer component of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the randomizer board 10, the axis 10A, and the cover 13.

FIG. 3 shows the ball components of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the balls 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed to a game of chance, wherein players predict the locations at which dropped balls 14 will land on a randomizer board 10. The game apparatus includes a plurality of spherical lightweight balls 14 of a given radius, a shaking means, and a randomizer board 10. The randomizer board 10 is circular, having a plurality of indentations or grooves 11 in which the balls 14 will become trapped; the grooves or indentations 11 are separated by a suitable distance, with reference to the radius of the balls 14, that the ball 14 will become entrapped therein. The randomizer board 10 may have a lip around the edge to prevent balls 14 from rolling off the board; the lip may be understood as being relatively higher than the height of the boundaries of the grooves 11. The face of the randomizer board 10 is marked with a plurality of concentric circles which define regions; the regions are coextensive with the grooves 11 such that for a ball 14 to become trapped. Players predict, prior to dropping the balls 14, how many balls 14 will land in each region. Scoring may proceed in any of a number of ways; for example, where players compete against each other, the player with the most accurate prediction may be said to win or each player may be awarded points for each correctly predicted landing location. Where the game is played as a gambling game with a house or bank opposing each player separately, varying payouts may be awarded to each player based on the accuracy of their predictions.

The first exemplary embodiment is composed of twelve components: a randomizer board 10, featuring a transparent hemispherical cover 13, and eleven ball components 14. The shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping the balls 14 in the preferred embodiment is the transparent cover 13(which fits over the board 10 as shown) which, when inverted, can accommodate all of the balls 14 such that the user may agitate the transparent cover 13 so that the balls 14 shift position in a random manner. This may be done with the randomizer board 10 affixed to the transparent cover 13, or the transparent cover 13 may be righted so as to drop the balls freely onto the randomizer board 10. The transparent cover 13 may according be releasably engageable to the board 10. Alternate embodiments, featuring different shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping the balls 14, are also contemplated.

In the first exemplary embodiment, five of the balls 14 are of one color (a “first color”) such as red, and five of the balls 14 are of a different, contrasting color (a “second color”) such as blue. All ten of these balls 14 will be numbered (i.e., bearing indicia, not necessarily Arabic numerals), from the number “0” through the number “9”. The colors may be applied to the numbered balls in any order, for example alternating the first and second colors or 0-4 being of the first color and 5-9 being of the second color. The grooves 11 of the randomizer board 10 are preferably alternately colored in the same fashion. The eleventh ball 14 is transparent, or of a neutral color such as white or gray, and is not numbered. All of the balls 14 are otherwise identical to one another in size, shape, hardness, mass, weight distribution, and other physical features. As an alternative to agitation by hand, the randomizer board 10 may be removably mounted on a rotating diametric axis 10A such that the randomizer board 10 will rotate through the axis 10A. The randomizer board 10 may be rotated with a hand crank or an electric motor. Alternately, the randomizer board 10 may be agitated in another way, such as being shaken by hand, or dropped or rolled on the floor or the ground.

To use the first exemplary embodiment, the user agitates the randomizer board 10 and allows it to come to rest such that the cover 13 is upward. Players will be able to see how many of the balls 14 come to rest within each of the grooves 11, regardless of the color of the balls 14. Before agitating the randomizer board 10, players must record or announce their guesses regarding how many of the colored balls 14 will come to rest within each of the grooves 11. The player whose guess is closest to the actual result wins.

This game may be modified to create a scoring system by assigning point values to the grooves 11, such as a scoring system with three grooves 11 wherein balls 14 which come to rest in the central groove 11 earn three points for each predicted ball, balls 14 which come to rest in the next outward groove 11 earn two points for each predicted ball, and balls 14 which come to rest in the outermost groove 11 earn one point for each predicted ball. The player with the highest total number of points, based on the number of correctly predicted balls landing the identified groove, wins.

In a second variation, each of two players may be assigned one of the colors corresponding to the colored balls 14. Players can then see which of the two players has the most balls 14 with colors matching the colors of the grooves 11 where they came to rest. In this variation, the neutral or transparent ball 14 acts as a wild card or tiebreaker. In a third variation, the digits printed on the colored balls 14 may be used as the subject of more specific guesses, such as guessing the specific digits of the balls 14 which come to rest in the outermost groove 11.

The device may also be used in conjunction with various board games to create a broad range of other variants, such as enabling the player who wins a round with the randomizer board 10 to take an extra turn on the board game, or move a piece on the board game a specific number of spaces, whose number is generated by the sum of the digits on the balls 14 which came to rest in the central groove 11.

The base 12 is preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable material, such as plastic, wood, or aluminum. The cover 13 is preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable, transparent material, such as plastic, glass, or methacrylate. The balls 14 are preferably manufactured from a rigid, durable material, such as plastic, wood, or steel. Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for playing a game of chance comprising: (a) a board; (b) said board being circular; (c) the face of said board being shaped with a plurality of grooves; (d) said grooves being shaped as concentric circles about the center of said board; (e) a plurality of balls; (f) said balls being of a diameter such that said balls may become entrapped in said grooves; and (g) a shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls.
 2. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 1 further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board.
 3. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 1 wherein said plurality of balls is eleven in number; five of said plurality of balls being a first color; five of said plurality of balls being a second color; said first and said second color being contrasting; one of said balls being transparent or of a neutral color; and the five of said plurality of balls that are said first color and the five of said plurality of balls that are said second color bearing indicia so as to be numbered zero through nine.
 4. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 1 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 5. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 3 further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board.
 6. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 4 further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board.
 7. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 3 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 8. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 5 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 9. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 3 wherein said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color.
 10. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 5 wherein said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color.
 11. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 8 wherein said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color.
 12. A method of playing a game of chance using an apparatus comprising: (a) a board; (b) said board being circular; (c) the face of said board being shaped with a plurality of grooves; (d) said grooves being shaped as concentric circles about the center of said board; (e) a plurality of balls; (f) said balls being of a diameter such that said balls may become entrapped in said grooves; and (g) a shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls; and the method comprising: (h) each of a plurality of players recording or announcing a guess as to how many of said plurality of balls will land in each of said plurality of grooves; (i) shaking said plurality of balls using said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls and dropping said plurality of balls onto said board; (f) determining a winner, said winner being that of said plurality of players who has guessed closest to the actual position of said plurality of balls within said plurality of grooves.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein each of said grooves is assigned a point value; wherein each of said plurality of players is awarded points for each correctly predicted of said plurality of balls landing in each of said plurality of grooves; and wherein said winner is that of said plurality of players that has been awarded the most points.
 14. A method of playing a game of chance using an apparatus comprising: (a) a board; (b) said board being circular; (c) the face of said board being shaped with a plurality of grooves; (d) said grooves being shaped as concentric circles about the center of said board; (e) a plurality of balls; (f) said balls being of a diameter such that said balls may become entrapped in said grooves; (g) a shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls; (h) said plurality of balls is eleven in number; (i) five of said plurality of balls being a first color; (j) five of said plurality of balls being a second color; (k) said first and said second color being contrasting; (l) one of said balls being transparent or of a neutral color; and (m) said plurality of grooves are alternately colored in said first color and said second color and the method comprising: (n) assigning said first color to a first player; (o) assigning said second color to a second player; (p) shaking said plurality of balls using said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls and dropping said plurality of balls onto said board; (q) determining a winner, said winner being that of the group of said first player and said second player that has the most of said plurality of balls of that player's color landing within those of said plurality of grooves that are of the player's color; and (r) using the position, with a groove of said first color or of said second color, of the one of said plurality of balls that is transparent or of a neutral color to resolve a tie in favor of that of the group of said first player and said second player whose colored of said plurality of grooves the one of said plurality of balls that is transparent or of a neutral color has landed in.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the five of said plurality of balls that are said first color and the five of said plurality of balls that are said second color bearing indicia so as to be numbered zero through nine; and the method further comprising said first player and said second player making specific predictions as to the location of particular ones of said plurality of balls in particular ones of said plurality of grooves.
 16. The method of claim 12 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 17. The method of claim 13 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein said shaking means for shaking, holding and dropping said balls is a transparent cover; and said transparent cover being configured so as to fit over said board.
 20. The apparatus for playing a game of chance of claim 19 further comprising a lip; said lip surrounding said board. 